What To Do if Your Car Gets Damaged During Transport

Transporting your vehicle, no matter if it's a long or short distance transport, might be risky due to many different reasons that won’t necessarily relate to the company in charge of the process. Weather or road conditions, traffic accidents on the road, among many other different factors, can lead to a damaged car during transport. 

Also, the way you prepare your car for transport can also affect the result of your shipment. That’s why along the reading, we will give you certain tips and advice in order to make your vehicle transportation process successful, avoiding possible damages during transit. 

How to avoid a major car damage based on your car shipping company 

When selecting your auto transport company for your next shipment, you should verify a number of details in order to make sure the company is professional, reliable, and has a high rate of successful shipments. 

1. The company is registered and verified with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), as well as with the United States Department of Transportation (US DOT). This will ensure that the company you’re opting to transport your car with is safe. 

2. The company has a good online reputation. You can check this either at any reliable customer review source such as Transport Reviews, or by searching their history at the Better Business Bureau in order to verify the company is actually good and safe to transport. 

3. The auto transport company has transparent shipping rates, and you can verify that by checking the amount of money they will ask you to pay. Try requesting a free quote on different sites and check how they relate to each other.

4. Prices are competitive. Sometimes, extremely low bids don’t end up as final price due to unexpected situations or no spots left on the truck, leading to extra money being requested. The driver charges will be adequately relayed for you to consider with the help of your experienced agent to determine if it is right for you.

Ways car transport companies protect their vehicles

Professional and reliable car transport companies have strict and rigorous ways of transporting their vehicles to prevent them from any damage along the road. Safety protocols are very important before, during, and after shipment, since most of the time, shipping companies end up being responsible for each car transport from the moment it's picked up until the vehicle arrives. 

• The company will offer you additional car transport coverages. Before requesting a shipping service, it's important for you to have vehicle insurance from an external (or private/personal) insurance company (ex: All-State, Geico, etc) prior to sending it with your shipping company. As soon as you request the service, the company will ask you if you want to add extra coverage, which is a sign of protection and a way of avoiding any possible risk during transit. 

• The company has a copy of their car transport insurance policy. 

• The company has great customer service, offering car shipment agents that are responsible for any unexpected situation along the road. 

What to do if your vehicle suffers an accident during transit 

If your vehicle gets damaged during the transport service, the carrier will be responsible for making the appropriate moves to solve the issue. Whether it's the carrier’s fault or someone else’s fault, he/she has to be in charge of following up the protocol for solving the situation. 

In the majority of cases, the carrier will be paying the damage claim immediately, in order to solve the customer’s problem right away, and avoid an insurance claim that could result in higher costs.

In case the damage is minor, the carrier will probably put it off onto insurance, where you’ll need to make sure you have accurate notes of it on your BOL to prove the damage occurred during transit. 

What is the Bill of Lading (BOL)?

The BOL is a document of title that specifies the two shipping locations (pickup and delivery) of the vehicle by the auto transport company. It also works as a condition report  for other types of cargo shipping among common carriers as a mode of transport. 

It’s very important that the owner states each detail of the vehicle’s condition, so that the car arrives at the final destination and is inspected successfully. 

How to safely prepare your vehicle for your next auto transport service

• Prepare your budget 

Knowing how much shipping your vehicle is going to cost is critical. You can do this by requesting a free shipping quote on different auto transport company sites. 

• Clean your car 

Before dropping off your vehicle, wash the inside and the outside. Washing the exterior will allow you to see and document any scratches and dings. You'll also want to secure all items in the car.

• Take Photos

This will help you have a clearer picture and support of your vehicle’s conditions prior to shipment, in case you find damages. Remember to take pictures of every angle in good quality. 

• Buy your AFTA plan

1 in 20 vehicles can get damaged during the shipping process. Therefore, at AmeriFreight, we have a total assurance plan that will cover any vehicle damage to a maximum amount of $2000. Also, the plan covers a receipt of payment from any insurance company in case you get your deductible refunded. 

Purchasing your AFTA plan is pretty simple:

1. Ship your vehicle through a broker or carrier company with AmeriFreight.

2. Contact your broker for details. 

3. Ship your car to new amazing roads!